Improvement in boot and shoe heel trimming machines



Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE B. DUNHAM, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOT AND SHOE HEEL TRIMMING MACHINES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,732, dated July 7,1874; application tiled March 25, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE B. DUNHAM, ot'Lynn, in the county of Essex and State ot' Massachusetts, haveinventedcertain Improvements in Boot and Shoe Heel Trimming Machines, of whichthe following is a specifica.- tion:

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a top view, and Fig. 2 is aside view, ot' my improved machine for trimming the heels of boots andshoes. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a vertical transverse section anda vertical longitudinal section of portions of the same taken in lines XY and A B. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section, taken in line C D,ot a portion ofthe machine. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section ot' one ofthe axlestandards. Fig. 7 Vis a bottom view ot the Welt-knife andguard,.at an enlarged scale. Fig. 8 is a perspective view ofknife-guard, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view ot' heelguard attached toa portion of its operating lever, both at an enlarged scale.

The present invention relates to that class of machines for trimmingboot and shoe heels in which the heel is brought in position to receivethe action ot' a rotary cutter; and has for its principal object theproduction of a simple and economical machine by whose use the heelshall be trimmed in an expeditious and effective manner.

My improvements consist mainly in a barrel or band saw, arranged andoperating, as will he hereinafter more fully explained, to rotatevertically against the periphery ofthe heel of a boot or shoe, held on ajack carried back and forth horizontally on a suitable support having avertical stem turning in a swinging standard so as to carry round thejack and consequently the heel supported thereby; the said swingingstandard being arranged to be readily connected with or detached fromsuitable mechanical devices for securely holding it in place or allowingof its release so as to swing out and allow the removal or adjustment ofa boot or shoe. My improvements also consist in an adjustable cam, soformed and connected with the stem of the jack-support or otherwisearranged to travel over the top of an adjustable plate connected with anadjustable vertical stem held in the swinging standard and having aprojecting' ring or collar to receive the former stem and forni a seatfor the cam, which so operates by the turning of its stem as to raiseand lower the heelvas the jack is turned, and bring the heel at anincline with the cutter to trim the vertical slope on a heel orto bereadily adjusted to trim a straight heel, as desired. Lheseiinprovements also consist ot an adjustable weltknite attached to asaw-guide, arranged to turn and raise the knife from or hold it firmlyupon the top ot a heel so as to trim its edge while the periphery ot'the heel is being trimmed also, of a knife-guard, constructed andarranged, as will be duly described, to protect the upper of the boot orshoe from any injury from the knife. Further, these improvements consistin a lock or heel-guard, held on and operated by a pivoted spring-leverso as to connect with or be disconnected from. a groove formed betweenthe heel forms,and bear np and lirml y hold in position or allow therelease of the heel. All of which I will now proceed to describe.

In the drawings, A represents a circular or other shaped base of acast-iron or other suitable vertical stand, B, of a tapering,cylindrical, or other desired shape. To the top of the stand B isattached on one side a standard, G, whose lower portion is curvedlaterally and vertically on the front, and on the inside is rabbeted orotherwise formed to fit on the upper portion oi' the stand 15, which iscut away to receive it. The upper portion otl the standard C is curvedand narrowed in or otherwise shaped toform an upright standard, C', tosupport one end ot a transverse axle, c, whose other end is supported inan axle-box, b, formed on the top ot' a standard, D, which is curved outon the sides, or other wise formed and attached to or formed on theopposite side of the stand B, which is cnt away to receive it. The lowerportion of the standard D is formed ith a forward-projectinglongitudinal arm, D, terminating in a partially-cylindrical verticalstandard, D, which receives and allows the turning of :a stem, E,connected with plates c c, held so as to have a forward and back play intop and bottom slotted plates d d projecting from the front end of atransverse vertical standard, F, which is thus arranged tov be supportedby and to swing on the standard D" 5 or the standard F maybe otherwisearranged to be held and to be swung out to release or adjust aboot orVshoe orlast, as preferred. At the rear of the projecting plates d d' theswinging standard F is formed with a vertical socket, g, to receive anadjustable vertical stem, G, held or released by a screw, h, orotherwise, and formed at the bottom with rear projecting collar or ringG',

to receive the lower end of a rear 'parallel4 vertical stein, H, thatextends through a vertical socket 4formed through the rear portion ofthe standard F, above which the stem H projects, and at the top connectswith the rearportion of a bed-plate or jack-support, I, whose upperportion is cut down at the rear, and whose forward portion is formedwith a central longitudinal slot or groove, and top plates or ways797V", or otherwise formed to support and allow the forward and backtravel ot' the bottoin plate J' of a jack, J, whose upper portion iscurved at the front, and extends in the form of a bar upward in aninclined direction to the rear over the bottom plate and heelresa-between which and the 'bar or upper portion ofthe jack is an openspace of sufcient size to admit and allow the adjustnient or release ofa boot or shoe, or last,K, the sole of` which rests on the. top of thebottom plate J' which is grooved on the sides to receive the plates orways kk', (as shown in Fig. 5,) or otherwise formed to travel on thebed-plate l, and is cut down at the rear to allow thereception of theheel, leaving a rear-projecting plate, I, which receives adjustableforms 'm1-mf', the top one of which receives the heel of the boot orshoe, which is securely held thereon by a screw, L, bearin g on the topof the last, and arranged to turn in a screw-socket, a, formed on theend ot the upper portion of the jack. Pivoted on each side of the bottomplate J' of the jack J is a yoke, or bent lever-handle O, whose endsextend down on each side ot' the bed-plate I, and are notched to receiveand bear against a pin, i, projecting from each side ofthe said plate I.This vokeis bulged out on the sides, to admit t-he adjustment or releaseofthe boot or shoe last, and is contracted on the sides of its upperportion, and bent to extend Aand have free play over the top of the jackJ, which is carried back and forth by the back and forward movement ot'the yokev O. rlhe stem G is formed at the bottom with a slot or groove,open on the rear to receive and allow the lateral extension of anadjustable vertical plate, G", held in the slot or groove so as to beraised or lowered by a screw, j", turning in the side of the stein G,and bea-ring against the side of the plate G", or, the stein G may beotherwise arranged to allow and regulate the travel of an adjustableannular cam, H', attached to the stem H, by a screw, j, or otherwiseheldthereon, so as to be raisedand lowered, and cut out at the front andback of its lower portion in a triangular-shape, sothatwhen turned itshall travel over the top of a rear lug or flange, or the adjustableplate G", connected with the stem G, and raise and lower the stem H,and, consequently, the jack, and boot or shoe, and bring the heel at adifferent vertical inclination with the saw or cutter, in order to trima sloping heel; or, by'lowering the adjustable plate allow the stem H toturn without raising the jack, thereby permitting a straight heel to betrimmed.

The heel form is composed of two adjustable flat plates,m m', curvedonthe sides and rear to correspond with the horizontal curve y of theheel. The under plate, m', which rests on the projecting plate l, whichis also curved on the sides and rear, is of smaller-diameter than theupper plate, m, which supports the heel' S and the rest-plate l, thusforming a groove, o, between the piate l and form-plate m.' Thev topplate m only may be made adjustable, it' desired. Engaging in the groove0, to direct the travelv of the bottom plate J', and hold the heel up inposition while operating, is the end of a` guard, M, of sufficientthickness on the front to itin the groove o, and notched out on one side(as shown in Fig. 9) to allow'the rotation of a circular, barrel, or'band saw, -N, and is beveled downward on the bottoni at the front to athicker rear portion, which is attached by screws, or otherwise, to alower, forward, and lateral projecting arm, Q', of a cam-like lever, Q,located so as to turn on the nave of a segmental guide, R, and having anupper, rear, and lateral projecting arm, Q", to the end of which arm Q"is attached a spiral or other spring, q, whose bottom end is attached toa pin, r, projecting from one side of the guide R. The guide R is formedof a circular plate cut away on its forward part to allow the adjustmentof the guard M and to receive an adjustable welt-knife U and guard V,andis countersunk on its front side to receive the central or camportion of the lever Q, which is formed of a nave that turns on'A thehub ot' theguide R, and whose arm Q" isl beveled or rabbeted on theinside, to allow of its upand-down play on the-outside of the side bandof the guide R, which, on the opposite side, is beveled inward from theouter edge otthe band which forms aguide to the saw, or is otherwiseformed to be contained within a cylindrical case or drum, N', open onthe front side to receive it, and whose periphery or band N is serratedon the edge to form saw-teeth, that are revolved over the rim of theguide R by the rotation of the drum N', which is attached to atransverse shaft or axle, a, which receives the hub of the guide R atone end, and at theother end is provided with a suitable belt pulley orpulleys, T, for operating the band or barrel saw; or the axle a' may beconnected with a suitable 'crank or treadle, or arranged as desired, tobe operated by foot, hand, or other motive power,

G" to disconnect it from the cam H',

To the bottom of the forward upper portion of the guide R is attached aweltknife, U, formed by a at plate having a straight edge on one side,that is carried forward in apointed blade beyond the saw-teeth asufcient distance tobear upon and triinthe top ofthe heel S, and beveledback from thepointonthe other side to allow the passage of the saw, andcurved or inclined, as shown in Fig. 7, and bifurcated to receive, andbe held by, a screw, e, or otherwise formed and arranged to be readilyadjusted to, or removed from, the guide R, from Vwhich depends a stud,t, againstwhich one arm of the knife bears, to prevent the movement ofthe blade when operating against the heel. Attached by a screw or screwsor otherwise connected with, so as to be readily adjusted to or detachedfrom, the front side of the upper portion ofthe guide R, is a knifeguard, V, formed by a vertically-inclined plate having a front-curvedband or lateral flange, u, as shown in Fig. 8, that extends partly overtheysaw-band N, the said plate having its bottomv flanged laterallybeyond the front side ot' the knife, and projectii'ig` forward in arounded.downward-beveled point, u', against the point of theknife-blade, or lmay be otherwise formed to protect the upper of theboot or shoe from any injury of the knife-blade. Projecting from theside band of the guide R is a stemor handle,- 10, for the purpose ofturning the guide to engage the knife U with,and disengage it from, theheel, the tension of the spring q l attached tothe pin 1", or otherwiseconnected with the guide It, holding the latter so as to bear the knife`upon the top of the heel. A pin, s, projects laterally from theguide-band R at the proper point to support the rear arm Q, and preventits going beyond the desired position to properly sustain the heel.Thestandard C is formed with a longitudinal bore or aperture,., Fig. 6,of smaller diameter at the forward portion, to form a shoulder orabutment for a spiral spring, y, located within the larger portion oftheaperture, and surrounding a rod, X, attached at the rear to a stem, X',arranged to shove in at the larger portion of the aperture, and abutagainst the spring y. The forward end of the rod X is hooked orotherwise formed to readily connect with, or be detached from, thehooked or other-formed end of a rod, X connectedwith sov as to turn, andprojecting laterally from, the rear end of the swinging standard F,which, when the rods X X are connected, isthns held iirmly in place,and, when the said rods are disconnected, by shoving in the stem X orotherwise, is released, to allow of its being thrown to one side, toadmit of the adjustment or release of the boot or shoe.

The rods X X, if desired, may be arranged to be disconnected by theaction of a foot treadle connected with the same.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows: The rods XX/{aredisconnected, as above described, to release the swinging standard F,which, turning. on the standard D, is swung out on one side,` to allowthe adj ustment of the boot or shoe on the jack-plate Jf, where it issecurely held by means of the screw L, which is turned down so as tobear on the top of the last. When the boot or shoe is properly securedthe standard F is swung in, and the guard M is, by theA action of thelever Q, brought to engage, in the groove o, where it is held so as tobear up the heel-form, and, consequently, sustain the heel in thedesired position by the tension of the spring q drawing downward the armQ. The knife U is brought to bear on the top` edge of the heel by theadjustment of the guide R turning on the axle hand held in position bythe sprin g q, as before described, the knife-guard V protecting theboot or shoe upper from any injury of the knife. The rods X X are thenhooked or oth! erwise connected, the springy serving to-iirmly hold themtogether, and securely holding the standard F in position to bring theheel against the saw N. Power being applied to the axle a, the saw N isrotated in a vertical direction against the heel, which is carried backbythe jack J, by means of the yoke or lever O, until the center orcurved part of the heel is in contact with the saw, when the jack, bymeans of the stem H turning in thestandard F, or otherwise, is turnedround, thus carrying the curved portion of the heel against the saw. Thejack isnow advanced by 'turning the yoke or lever O in the oppositedirection, carryingfthe other sideof the heel to the action of the saw.At the same time the saw is operating vertically on the heel the knife Uacts on its top, so as to trim the top edge, thus completingthe trimmingofthe heel at one operation. The rods X X" are now detached, assbeforedescribed, or otherwise, to release the standard F, which isswung outfor the removal of the boot or shoe and the adjustment of another, andthe above operation is repeated.

Vhen desired to form a concave, sloping, or inward-inclined heel, theadjustable plate 1G and cam H are adjusted to the required height ontheir respective stems, and held thereon by their respective screws fj.Vhen the jack J is turned the cam H is of such shape that in travelingover the adjustable l plate G it raises the` stem H, and conse- Vquentlythe jack and heel, gradually, as the rear or curved portion of thelatter is being brought round against the saw, and gradually lowers thesame as the sides of the `heel are advanced or carried back, thusbringing the heel at an incline with the saw, so as to trim the slope ofthe heel. When a straight heel is trimmed the plate and cam are loweredso as to become inoperative.

Having. thus fully described my improveV ments, what I claim as myinvention, and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent, 1s

l. In a machine for trimming boot and shoe heels, a barrel orband saw,the teeth arranged to rotate against .the heel of a boot or shoe,substantially as specified.

2. A saw-guide, R, arranged to turn on the saw-axle of a boot and shoeheel trimming machine, and of a circular shape, cut away on the front,to receive a knife and guard, and countersunk on the front side toreceive and allow the action of a lever, Q, provided with a sl'ning, q,all constructed substantially as specified.

3. A heel guard or lock, M, formed on the front, as shown, to engagewith a groove, o, ofthe heel-form of a boot and shoe heel trimmingmachine, and notched laterally to allow the passage of a rotary saw,substantially as described.

4. The combination ofthe guard or lock M,

band or barrel saw N, lever Q, spring q, guide l t, and groove o, allconstructed substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. A Welt-knife,adjustable to or from the heel of a boot or shoe, andheld in position to trim the top edge of the heel at the same time theside of the heel is being operated upon7 substantially as herein setforth.

A knife guard, V, constructed and ar ranged as described, in combinationwith a guide, R, and knife U, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

7. In a boot and shoe heel trimming machine, a jack, J, having a bottomplate, J', grooved on its sides to travel back and forth horizontally onways of a turning bed-plate or support, I, and cut down at the rear endto forni a rest, Z, for one or more adjustable formplates, m m, arrangedto form a horizontal groove, o, and having a top bar inclined upwardfrom the toe over the top of the bottom plate, the end of said inclinedbar being form ed arranged substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.'

9. In a boot and shoe heel trimming-machine, a standard, F, constructedas described, to swingjlaterally, and formed with vertical sockets toreceive vertical stems H G, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.'

10. An adjustable cam, H, connected with a stem of a jack-supportturning in a swinging standard of a boot and shoe heel trimming machine,the cam being cut away so as to raise and lowerthe stem, when turned byit, to travel over the top of an adjustable plate connected with avertical stennG, held in a swinging standard, in combination with thejack J, all constructed as and for the purpose described.

l1. A bed plate or jack support, I, constructed as described, to supportand allow the forward and back horizontal travel of a jack, J, incombination with a vertical stein supported and turning in a swingingstandard, F, of a heel-trimming machine, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE B. DUNI'IAM.

IVitnesses CARROLL D. WRIGHT, SAML. M. BARTON.

